Airplane



T. P. WRlGHT Feb. 7, 1933.

AIRPLANE Filed Sept. 6, 1929 ATTORNEY I Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEODORE P. WEIGHT, PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CURTISS AEROPLANE & MOTOR COMPANY, INC, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK amrnaun Application filed September 6, 1929. Serial R0. 390,668.

My invention relates to airplanes and more particularly to airplanes of the type in which only'one motor is used for producing the thrust necessary for flight.

Prior to my invention there have been many single motored airplanes but usually such airplanes have been of the type .in which the motor is positioned in the nose' of the fuselage.- There have also been airplanes ofthe multiple motor type'in. which" motors have been placed on the wings'for at other points at the sides of the fuselage.

One object of m invention is the provision of increased visibility' in airplanes ofthe single motoredftype;

' A further object is the arrangement of the parts of such an airplane in a way that it is possible to provide a practical airplane of the pusher type using only a single motor;

A further object is the reduction of fuselage vibration in airplanes ofthe above described type 1 A further object is the reduction of the effect of motor fumes upon the occupants:

of an air lane of the above described type. A further object is the reduction of the hazards of crash in airplanes of said ty e. This is" accomplished by reducing the re hazard and also by reducing the hazard of the weight of the engine falling upon the occupants of the airplane or vice versa;

Further objects will be'apparentfrom a reading of the subjoined specification and claims and from a consideration of the draw-' 85 ing. f

In order to explain the invention more clearly, one embodimentthereof is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

40 constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the airplane shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the airplane shown in Figs. land 2.

In general, the airplane selected for illustration of my invention is different from the usual airplane now in use in that 'one wing is larger than the other wing, being longer and also being thicker. The single motor is mounted on brackets on the larger The motor 17 may be mounted on brackets 'which maybe cambered either to the right or wing and the weight thereof is counterbalanced by the increased lift of the larger wing. The offset thrust of the motor is counterbalanced by the'increased drag of the thicker wing and, if desired, by a suitably cambered vertical fin. v

Referring particularly to the drawing, the

airplane is shown as comprising a fuselage 11,-wings 12 and 13, tail surfaces generally designated as 14, ailerons 15 and 16, a motor co "17 carrying a propeller 18, and a. landing gear generally deslgnated 19. 1 The wing 13 is longer than the wing 12 and as shown more clearly in Fig. 2 is thicker than wing 12.

21 and 22' on the wing 13 and may be, if desired, suitably inclined with reference to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. Included in the tail surfaces 14 is a vertical fin 23 left to a suitable degree to counterbalance the difference between the offset thrust of the motor 17 and the excess drag of the thicker and lon er wing on the motor side.-

' It is t ought that the operation of my improved air lane will be readily understood from the a ove description. The motor 17 operates the propeller 18 to push the air lane through the air and the wings 12 and 13 eing so driven, lift the air lane into the air. The increased weight of t e motor 17 is-counterbalanced by the larger lift of the larger wing v 13, and the turning movement, which might be caused by the offset position of the thrust,

It is to be understood that the above de- Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of airplane 2. An airplane comprising, a fuselage, a "single propeller mounted on said airplane in oii'set relation to'the longitudinal axis of said fuselage, a motor for said propeller, and a vertical fin disposed at the longitudinal axis of said fuselage arid having a greater camber on one side than on the other for compensating for part of the offset thrust.

3. Means for increasing the visibility in airplanes having a fuselage comprising a single thrust means for propelling said airplane offset from the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and a vertical fin disposed at the longitudinal axis of the fuselage and having a greater camber on one side than on the other for compensating for part of the offset thrust. 4. An airplane comprising, a fuselage, a supporting wing on each side of the fuselage, one of said wings having a greater su porting surface and being subject to greater rag than the other wing, means for exerting a thrust to propel the airplane mounted upon said last mentioned wing in ofi'set relation to the longitudinal axis of said fuselage, and means cooperating with the drag of said last mentioned wing for compensating for the offset thrust. v In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

THEODORE P. WRIGHT. 

